The Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor is urging beekeepers to complete a survey which checks the health of our bee stocks.
Pollination underpins New Zealand’s primary industries and the bees’ busy work is worth $5 billion a year to our economy, the apiculture sector estimates.
"While bee colony losses in New Zealand are lower than many other countries, we need to monitor trends and collect as much information as possible to protect our bees," he says.
Mr O’Connor has raised concerns over low rates completion for the survey.
"Typically only a third of the hard-working apiculture sectors of nearly 8000 registered beekeepers, who look after nearly 900,000 hives, complete the survey."
"We need to work together to protect the long-term viability of the sector and get more from what we do now," he says.
SHARE ME